On Point With: Kitty Ka’Boodlez

Westchester drag continues to be a force to be reckoned with… thanks to gals like this lovely songstress, who makes her Mount Vernon debut this week. Get your treats out for Kitty Ka’Boodlez!

Thotyssey: Hi Kitty! How’s your May so far?

Kitty Ka’Boodlez: May has been a great month for me! I just moved from the Bronx to Yonkers, and I am settling very well into my new home. My family and friends are healthy. The flowers are in bloom. And I now have two weekly shows, and so much more coming down the pipeline! So far, so fabulous!

Yay, many things to play with in the litterbox!

Yes, indeed! It’s a much bigger litterbox, that is for sure!

So, you were a Bronx girl.

I’m originally from southern Westchester County, from a town called Eastchester… but I’m moving from Woodlawn, right by the world famous cemetery. I loved the neighborhood and what it had to offer, but I am not far [from there now] at all!

Tell us a bit of your origin story: were you always into performing and turning looks while growing up?

I grew up in an Irish Catholic household, so being gay and extra and all that jazz was not always encouraged. However, that did not stop me from turning it out in the slightest! I loved dressing up, and entertaining friends and family in any way possible. I provided people with a fantasy and comedy that allowed them to forget all their problems and anxieties.

I grew up a musical theater kid, and I was very much influenced by the living legend Mariah Carey, and of course, Britney, Christina, and the Spice Girls. I always wanted to be an actor, and hopefully be in the Harry Potter movies. I’m still holding out hope for that, if they make another one!

Harry Potter and the Witchy Women of Westchester!

“Drag-gardium leviosa!”

How and when did you become Kitty?

Truth be told, I was given the name “Kitty” in eighth grade! Long story short, one of the incoming seniors gave me the nickname after looking deep into my eyes–they are green, and have a slight yellow tint in them if you look closely–and he said, “you have eyes like a cat! I’m gonna call you Kitty!” I initially disliked it because I was figuring out who I am, and high school can be brutal. Nonetheless, I embraced the name… and Kitty grew into her own fearless, ferocious, and fabulous feline self!

Meow! When did you become a performing queen?

The first official time I performed in full geish was at Guapo Mexican and Cuban Cuisine in Yonkers. I googled “drag shows near me” into my phone, and a show on Tuesday nights came up. I strutted over there with a shake-and-go, ripped jeans, cheap hooker pumps, a bikini top, and a dream. Then, these two fabulous queens named Angel Elektra and Shay D’Pines walked over and asked if I wanted to perform the following week. I said yes, brought a crowd… and the rest, as they say, is history! My first official performance as Kitty was September 23, 2019!

And what’s the best thing about drag?

There are so many incredible aspects about drag that it is really hard to pick just one. If I had to choose, it is the ability to connect emotionally with the audience through performance. Whether it’s a Mariah number or an Iggy Azalea verse, I want people to say that “I felt this feeling, and I have someone who gets it. Someone who may not go through the same steps of life, but can relate the same emotion in some way.”

Since Angel and Shay moved to Florida, you and Sasha Renee have taken over the Tuesday drag show at at Guapo! Tell us what the show is like, and how you enjoy being a hostess there!

Thank you so much! Sasha and I took over “Dining with Divas” in October 2021, when Angel and Shay moved to the 305. It has been an ah-mazing experience hosting with Sasha, who is not only a great mentor, but an even better friend. She has taught me a lot about drag, and the importance of presentation in all aspects. She has seen my growth from the beginning alongside Angel and Shay, so I am blessed to co-host alongside her.

The show is very much family-oriented, and the crowd is different each week–but always incredible! We feed off the energy from the crowd, and connect with the audience on so many levels. We always make sure that no matter your sexuality, gender identity, country of origin, race, or walk of life, everyone is welcome! And I love hosting so much because I grow each and every week. From my makeup skills to my wardrobe to my performance, I am always looking for ways to improve and optimize my artistry!

Angel and Shay will be back for a visit in June, and you’ll all be doing a show there at Guapo together on the 10th.

Yes, along with Sasha and a couple surprise guests!! It is going to be a kiki and a half, trust and believe!

There aren’t a lot of venues in Westchester for drag… that must mean that when you find something that works up there, it’s all the more special and important, right?

For sure! Guapo is my home bar and restaurant, so it has an extra special place in my heart! It’s where it all began! Everywhere I perform, I aim to make it an inclusive, fun, and entertaining show that will allow people to not only see my talents, but also enjoy what the venue has to offer.

This Friday, you’re actually premiering a new show of your own in Mount Vernon. Tell us about Mazzy’s Bar, and what the night’s gonna be like there!

The bar is at the heart of the Fleetwood neighborhood of Mount Vernon, so I’m pumped to get to know a whole new crowd and bring my friends and family there! It’s owned by a high school friend’s family; her name is Cheyenne, and she asked me if I would do a drag show there… and of course, I said yes! We just went over some logistics of the show and it will be super campy, fun, a tad raunchy, and intimate. I’ll perform some throwbacks (cue the seventh grade dance party playlist) and be the DJ, which is new for me. I can’t wait to feel the crowd and take it all in, and go on a journey for the show! Plus, I’m very excited to bring something new to the Westchester LGBTQIA+ community!

You’ve also done some songwriting.

When I was doing musical theater, I became inspired by the use of songs to tell stories. I thought, I’ll write my own songs to tell my own story in my way. So, I started writing poetry in middle school, which then became rap verses and pop songs in high school and college.

I use it as an outlet to help articulate my coping process with various events in my life, whether joyful or traumatic. Writing became my therapy when I was going through changes in my family, as well as my personal life, a few years back. In fact, I have almost a whole album written in my diary! I recorded my first single “Stunt Queen” back in 2019 on my phone. Then I recorded “Gay Like Christmas Morning” this past December, with legit production and a fabulous producer team, Mason and 808 Annie.

We have new music coming out early next month, and I plan on releasing an EP and a full album in the future… hopefully by next year. Keep your eyes peeled, because it will be epic! I want to consistently reinvent myself through music and performance. I love to perform my original songs in drag, but the creation of them is constant!

What else is coming up for you?

I have lots of projects and events coming down the pipeline! I’m excited to announce that I will be part of Drag Queen Story Hour in Westchester / Lower Hudson Valley, which includes Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties! I have a reading on May 18th in Chappaqua, as well as several in June in various places through the county. I love reading and teaching people more about the community, and what it means to be your true, authentic self… so I will definitely be in my element.

I will also be at several Pride events in Westchester, and the lower Hudson Valley, and the tri-state area, so keep your eyes and ears peeled! And I will be performing in the city at competitions and hopefully at other venues as well!

Have a great Pride season! Finally, I’m still asking all the girls: who are you rooting for in Drag Race All Stars 7?

I have to pick one!? They are truly all so great at different aspects of drag artistry! I am very much rooting for Miss Monét X Change, as well as Shea Coulee. I love them both, and they are very effortlessly funny and on cue with their drag. Long live the sponge! And Shea’s All Stars Snatch Game was a definite chef’s kiss!

Thank you, Kitty!